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Architecture Takes Fashion to New Heights

From the crisp folds of unexpectedly integrated pleats to the resilient bouffant of an exaggerated sleeve, architecture surreptitiously finds its way into the world of fashion, creating an unmistakable stir in its wake. Couturiers are blurring the lines between the design of beauty and the design of buildings, as wearable architecture has snuck beyond the imaginative fantasy land of the runways and into our closets.

One of fashion’s most notable architects is Nicholas Kirkwood, the British footwear designer whose structured sandals tower like skyscrapers and boast innovative construction techniques the way Frank Gehry might concoct his mind-boggling buildings. “It’s kind of like architecture in a way — like mini architecture,” Kirkwood says. “You have all these components. They all have to fit one another and they have to be structurally sound, within the restrictions of the foot.”

The 28-year-old shoemaker debuted his first line in spring 2005 and has catapulted to success in a mere four years, likely due to his ability to maintain a distinct, cohesive aesthetic while continually crafting exciting product lines that test the boundaries of footwear. Using exotic materials like sueded alligator, shaved stingray, cobra and buffalo horn, this creative cobbler goes beyond the pedestrian confines of a mere shoe to devise eye-catching and sometimes startling pieces.

www.nicholaskirkwood.com

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